This course has opened my eyes to a whole new way of teaching mathematics. I came into this course, expecting to be drilled with our multiplication tables, relearning long division, work on devising math worksheets and tests, and lesson plans that simply involve the teaching of a concept and usage of the textbook - what I have learned, however, is that math, and teaching math, is something completely different than what I was used to. I learned mathematics has amazing potential to become very student-centered and engaging as well as fun and exciting.
Mathematics should be inquiry based. You should present problems to your students that allow them to find their own solutions. Get them up and moving! Allow them to learn through play as children do. The potential to instill authentic learning with mathematics by using valuable resources, by making math student centered and fun is huge, so why would you do any different than teach in such a way?
Thank you, Mary, for a great term! I've learned so much and I am excited to take what I've learned and put it into practice.
Monday, 7 April 2014
Mathematics Resources K-6
We were given the opportunity to grapple with mathematics resources from k-6 during one of our math classes. Though I was absent during this class, I did inquire with some of my colleagues to catch up on anything that I may have missed. They filled me in on the activity during that day and shared with me, things that stood out to them. I also took it upon myself to peruse the resources available at the CMC, as I missed the opportunity to do so during class time. I began with looking at the curriculum guides, and from that, went on to textbooks, and even took a look at some children's books that are math- centered.
The thing I like most about curriculum documents is the organization of them. They are in chronological order, with easy to follow material inside. The 2-page spreads are fantastic, as they outline the specific curriculum outcome and then provides some detailed information on how to teach this and methods of assessment. I will say, however, that sometimes, the curriculum guides lack in creativity and motivational activities for students that will completely engage them and result in a deep learning experience. But mostly, the curriculum documents are great guides for teachers.
The text books and other resources seemed to be fantastic! Colourful and engaging, especially from k-2, but unfortunately, grades 3 and onward lacked in colour and motivational pictures to engage children! This was quite a disappointment.
Something I really enjoyed was the children's books available that are centered around mathematical concepts. A book that really stuck out to me was "The Greedy Triangle" by Marilyn Burns. It's a scholastic book which discusses the concepts of geometry through a fun story that is both silly and enjoyable for students. I feel as if more mathematical concepts were presented in such a way, math anxiety would be much lower than it currently is now.
The thing I like most about curriculum documents is the organization of them. They are in chronological order, with easy to follow material inside. The 2-page spreads are fantastic, as they outline the specific curriculum outcome and then provides some detailed information on how to teach this and methods of assessment. I will say, however, that sometimes, the curriculum guides lack in creativity and motivational activities for students that will completely engage them and result in a deep learning experience. But mostly, the curriculum documents are great guides for teachers.
The text books and other resources seemed to be fantastic! Colourful and engaging, especially from k-2, but unfortunately, grades 3 and onward lacked in colour and motivational pictures to engage children! This was quite a disappointment.
Something I really enjoyed was the children's books available that are centered around mathematical concepts. A book that really stuck out to me was "The Greedy Triangle" by Marilyn Burns. It's a scholastic book which discusses the concepts of geometry through a fun story that is both silly and enjoyable for students. I feel as if more mathematical concepts were presented in such a way, math anxiety would be much lower than it currently is now.
Youcubed
Youcubed- A revolutionary way to think about mathematics
Wow! Is all I can say. As a future educator, finding a website such as Youcubed is almost like winning the lottery. Jo Boaler, "the driving force behind math change in the United States and beyond", has done an amazing job at providing teachers, around the world, with excellent resources for teaching mathematics, not only in primary and elementary, but in junior high and high school as well!
This website provides with a multitude of resources to help revolutionize they way we teach math. The website is aimed to promote teaching of mathematics that is fun for students, that motivates them to learn, and most importantly, promotes deep understanding.
Something that inspired me while navigating this website, was the video of Jo Boaler, in which she states that "everyone can learn math, everyone can achieve in math" but it is up to us, as future educators, to use the most effective tools and resources to make it happen. Oftentimes, you will come across students who are frustrated with, or dislike mathematics; we have the ability to change that, and this website provides us with the tools to do so. Mathematics should not be a subject that is mostly text-oriented, or teacher centered. We need to make mathematics (and all other subjects, as well...) student centered and FUN.
This website is very user friendly and visually appealing. It contains a variety of videos and even some which show children talking about their experiences in taking this new inquiry approach to mathematics. This website, and the tools, resources, and research involved, are all aimed to "[unlock] children's math potential". As you scroll through the website, you notice links which provide you with exciting and engaging lessons for students from k-12. There is even a "tools for parents" link which is fantastic! This link provides parents with activities that they can have their children participate at home to increase their children's math knowledge, further unlocking their potential.
I am excited to see what this website has in store upon its completion! I will be sure to take advantage of these free teacher resources in hopes of providing my future students with the best possible learning experience.
Thursday, 23 January 2014
What is math?
Upon asking a few of my friends what they think of when they hear the word "math", their responses were mostly the same. They replied with answers such as "a subject we studied in school involving numbers, graphs, charts, and shapes", some of them mentioned liking math, (especially a few of my friends who are pursuing business degrees with a concentration in accounting, and those of which are studying engineering and other mathematical areas) but I also got some responses which expressed a distaste for mathematics.
After a couple of informal interviews, I decided it would be fun to look for definitions myself. My first "go to" site was, of course, Google!! I typed "define mathematics" and it brought me to a Wikipedia page. Now, I understand that Wikipedia isn't exactly a credible source, but it is interesting to navigate, nonetheless, and provided me with some great answers! According to Wikipedia, "Mathematics is the abstract study of topics such as quantity (numbers), structure, space, and change." I should note, that what I love most about Wikipedia, is that it has to ability to take you anywhere! Each "quantity, structure, space, and change" were all linked so that I could be directed to the page for each of these. The Wikipedia page also boasted words such as patterns as a means of forming conjectures, pure math, abstractions, logic, etc.
What we need to remind ourselves, whether or not we are fans of it, is the practicality of math. Practices such as problem solving is an important concept for everyone to grasp as it can be applied to many situations in life. We use math every single day. From the moment we wake up, perhaps even before that, we need to know what time to set our alarm in order to have sufficient time to get ready for work or school. We use it when telling time, we use it when we cook, and we use it when we buy things. Mathematics surrounds us, therefore, it is a very important subject to be taught in schools.
Monday, 20 January 2014
Response to: Do schools kill creativity?
During our class on the 16th of January, we watched a very eye opening video of Sir Ken Robinson on TED TALKS in which he discussed the notion that schools kill creativity. This was a very interesting video and it really stuck with me as he kept the discussion light and humorous, all the while, sending forth a huge and important message. I personally find lessons leave a lasting impression when they are enjoyable, and humor is something that most everyone enjoys!
One particular part that really surprised me, was the story of the young girl (Jillian) who was a "constant interruption" in the class. This girl's teacher proceeded to write to her parents explaining that they thought she had a learning disorder (something along the lines of ADHD, though this disorder wasn't yet "invented" as Sir Ken Robinson jokes) Jillian's mother, along with Jillian, went to see a specialist and this specialist, after about 20 minutes of discussion, asked Jillian's mother to leave the room with him and turned on the radio as they left, leaving Jillian alone. As they observed Jillian, they noticed that as soon as she was left alone, she began to move to the music. The specialist then explained to her mother that Jillian does not have a learning disorder, she is a dancer. This story amazed me. Nowadays, ADHD is a commonly diagnosed disorder with which young children are being medicated for, but as this video states, is it ADHD? or is it something as simple as that these children are dancers, artists, musicians, etc, and are bored by the monotonous school setting?
I feel this video was beneficial to watch in a math class because math is one of those courses in which students are often sat in their desks, taking notes, and working on problems from a text book. It's really not much of a surprise that many children dislike mathematics.. where is the creativity in that? This video was an eye-opener. As future educators, we should strive to allow our students to explore their creativity in all subject areas, mathematics included.
One particular part that really surprised me, was the story of the young girl (Jillian) who was a "constant interruption" in the class. This girl's teacher proceeded to write to her parents explaining that they thought she had a learning disorder (something along the lines of ADHD, though this disorder wasn't yet "invented" as Sir Ken Robinson jokes) Jillian's mother, along with Jillian, went to see a specialist and this specialist, after about 20 minutes of discussion, asked Jillian's mother to leave the room with him and turned on the radio as they left, leaving Jillian alone. As they observed Jillian, they noticed that as soon as she was left alone, she began to move to the music. The specialist then explained to her mother that Jillian does not have a learning disorder, she is a dancer. This story amazed me. Nowadays, ADHD is a commonly diagnosed disorder with which young children are being medicated for, but as this video states, is it ADHD? or is it something as simple as that these children are dancers, artists, musicians, etc, and are bored by the monotonous school setting?
I feel this video was beneficial to watch in a math class because math is one of those courses in which students are often sat in their desks, taking notes, and working on problems from a text book. It's really not much of a surprise that many children dislike mathematics.. where is the creativity in that? This video was an eye-opener. As future educators, we should strive to allow our students to explore their creativity in all subject areas, mathematics included.
Wednesday, 15 January 2014
Math Autobiography
In order to become an effective teacher, you must be able to reflect on experiences that you have had, both negative and positive, This, in turn, will help you learn and grow as an educator. Part of your reflecting should also come from your own experiences during your primary/elementary years. When it comes to memories of mathematics, I unfortunately have very few, and those that I do have are mostly from grade 5. From what I can remember, mathematics was somewhat an enjoyable subject for me, even in high school.
Math class, throughout primary/elementary, and even high school, was mostly always the same. We would sit in our desks (sometimes, solo, other times, with a partner or a group) and take notes and listen to the teacher speak and teach us about any particular concept. When the teacher finished the lesson, we were assigned work to do, as practice, from our math books or a work sheet. This was always uninteresting and boring. I feel that in order for any deep learning about a subject, or concept, to occur, the lesson should be interactive in nature. Learning through doing engages students and grasps their interest in the subject. What I can remember really liking about mathematics in primary/elementary involved using blocks, geoboards, and other various manipulatives.
My best memory in math comes from grade 5. My grade 5 teacher was very reflective. She made sure to listen to her students and strived to meet each of her students' needs. I remember that she developed a group called the "matheletes", for students who grasped the concepts of the current math focus quickly and were looking for a greater challenge. As part of this group, during a regular math period, we would be given a series of questions and then go to the library to work on the problems together. This memory particularly sticks because it made me realize how important it is, as a teacher, to be aware of your students, to listen them and to meet their needs. If students are bored with the material they are working on, they tend to not want to learn any more about it.
I feel as if I was good at mathematics. It was never really a struggle for me, I also enjoyed math, but I found it to be quite monotonous. As mentioned previously, the teachers role tended to be "the dictator". They would stand at the front of the room, writing on the blackboard and explaining concepts as we, the students, would copy these notes and get put to work on question from our text afterward. At the end of a particular unit, we would be given a test as a form of assessment. These tests would usually consist of several questions related to the concepts taught in class. I can remember being terrified of these tests and wishing that we never had to write them!
Highschool math was even more monotonous and the material was even more complicated, but still, I did enjoy it. I was in advanced math and these classes consisted of myself and my classmates sitting down for an hour, taking notes and listening to my teacher drone on about a concept. Even though I was good at math, I dreaded the subject. Some days, we would have math for 2 hours straight! The thought of having to sit in that same desk for 2 hours writing notes and answering questions from the text book was distressing. I feel that I still enjoyed it though, because I always felt so successful when starting with an equation that filled a whole line in an exercise book and working with this equation until it was only one answer. I always felt a sense of accomplishment with this. The fact that there is only one answer and that you got this answer was great.
During my university career, I had taken only 2 math courses. I did not take any math electives. I tended to stick to science and arts courses for my electives.
In conclusion, I feel it is important, as a future educator, to show your students that you enjoy math. How can you expect your students to enjoy math if you don't? It would also be beneficial to make math as enjoyable as possible by making it interactive. Use manipulatives, get your students out of their seats, and most importantly, listen to them. Always listen to your students. Ask them questions about their interests. If you apply a concept, or subject, and it makes a personal connection with a student, they will be more motivated to learn. Math is a fascinating subject and it is our jobs as teachers to make it fascinating for our students.
Math class, throughout primary/elementary, and even high school, was mostly always the same. We would sit in our desks (sometimes, solo, other times, with a partner or a group) and take notes and listen to the teacher speak and teach us about any particular concept. When the teacher finished the lesson, we were assigned work to do, as practice, from our math books or a work sheet. This was always uninteresting and boring. I feel that in order for any deep learning about a subject, or concept, to occur, the lesson should be interactive in nature. Learning through doing engages students and grasps their interest in the subject. What I can remember really liking about mathematics in primary/elementary involved using blocks, geoboards, and other various manipulatives.
My best memory in math comes from grade 5. My grade 5 teacher was very reflective. She made sure to listen to her students and strived to meet each of her students' needs. I remember that she developed a group called the "matheletes", for students who grasped the concepts of the current math focus quickly and were looking for a greater challenge. As part of this group, during a regular math period, we would be given a series of questions and then go to the library to work on the problems together. This memory particularly sticks because it made me realize how important it is, as a teacher, to be aware of your students, to listen them and to meet their needs. If students are bored with the material they are working on, they tend to not want to learn any more about it.
I feel as if I was good at mathematics. It was never really a struggle for me, I also enjoyed math, but I found it to be quite monotonous. As mentioned previously, the teachers role tended to be "the dictator". They would stand at the front of the room, writing on the blackboard and explaining concepts as we, the students, would copy these notes and get put to work on question from our text afterward. At the end of a particular unit, we would be given a test as a form of assessment. These tests would usually consist of several questions related to the concepts taught in class. I can remember being terrified of these tests and wishing that we never had to write them!
Highschool math was even more monotonous and the material was even more complicated, but still, I did enjoy it. I was in advanced math and these classes consisted of myself and my classmates sitting down for an hour, taking notes and listening to my teacher drone on about a concept. Even though I was good at math, I dreaded the subject. Some days, we would have math for 2 hours straight! The thought of having to sit in that same desk for 2 hours writing notes and answering questions from the text book was distressing. I feel that I still enjoyed it though, because I always felt so successful when starting with an equation that filled a whole line in an exercise book and working with this equation until it was only one answer. I always felt a sense of accomplishment with this. The fact that there is only one answer and that you got this answer was great.
During my university career, I had taken only 2 math courses. I did not take any math electives. I tended to stick to science and arts courses for my electives.
In conclusion, I feel it is important, as a future educator, to show your students that you enjoy math. How can you expect your students to enjoy math if you don't? It would also be beneficial to make math as enjoyable as possible by making it interactive. Use manipulatives, get your students out of their seats, and most importantly, listen to them. Always listen to your students. Ask them questions about their interests. If you apply a concept, or subject, and it makes a personal connection with a student, they will be more motivated to learn. Math is a fascinating subject and it is our jobs as teachers to make it fascinating for our students.
Welcome!
Hello everyone,
My name is Jeanine Sheppard. I am 22 years old and I am a second year primary/elementary Education student at Memorial University. I love to read, watch movies, listen to music, sing, and the outdoors. I am currently reading the Game of Thrones series and am having trouble putting the novel down! The purpose of this blog is to record my journey through this course in mathematics as a way to reflect on my experience. I am excited to delve into this course and I hope you all enjoy my blog!
Jeanine
My name is Jeanine Sheppard. I am 22 years old and I am a second year primary/elementary Education student at Memorial University. I love to read, watch movies, listen to music, sing, and the outdoors. I am currently reading the Game of Thrones series and am having trouble putting the novel down! The purpose of this blog is to record my journey through this course in mathematics as a way to reflect on my experience. I am excited to delve into this course and I hope you all enjoy my blog!
Jeanine
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